Easter will be early in 2026: when Orthodox and Catholic Christians have the Resurrection of Christ — dates published

Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, is almost always celebrated by Orthodox and Catholics on different dates. This is due to differences in calendars and counting systems. Every few years, the dates of Easter celebrations for Orthodox and Catholics coincide. The last time this happened was in the spring of 2025. For more information about the dates of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ in 2026, see the Izvestia article.

When is Catholic and Orthodox Easter in 2026 in Russia and in the world

Every year, both Orthodox and Catholics celebrate the main church holiday, Easter, on different days. The Resurrection of Christ has a rolling date that depends on the lunar calendar. The day of the holiday is also influenced by various calculation methods and calendars.

In 2026, Easter will be early: Orthodox Christians will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on April 12, and Catholics — a week earlier, on the 5th.

Why do the dates of Easter for Catholics and Orthodox Christians in 2026 not coincide?

According to the rule of the First Ecumenical Council of 325, Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Due to the discrepancy between the lunar and solar calendars, the date of the holiday is constantly shifting and is determined by complex calculations.

Due to the fact that the year in the Julian calendar, based on the solar-lunar reference system, is 11 minutes and 14 seconds longer than the astronomical one, the day of the solar equinox, which in 325 fell on March 21, was constantly shifting. By the end of the 16th century, the difference was 10 days (March 11).

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Because of this, the Catholic Church switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, and March 21 became the day of the vernal equinox. The Julian calendar, according to which the Orthodox Church continues to live, lags behind the Gregorian calendar by about 13 days, which creates a bias in calculating the equinox and determining the dates of the full moon and, consequently, Easter.

It is also important to note that in Orthodoxy, the date of the Resurrection of Christ cannot be earlier than the Jewish Passover (it is celebrated on the 14th day of the spring month of Nisan, the first month of the biblical year in the Jewish calendar and is celebrated for seven days; in 2026 it fell on April 1-9). The earliest when Orthodox or Catholics celebrate Easter is March 22, and the latest is May 8.

It is precisely because of all these differences that the dates of Easter celebrations for Orthodox and Catholics often do not coincide. On average, a coincidence happens three times in 19 years.

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When does Lent begin in 2026

Lent is a period of preparation for Easter, a time of repentance, spiritual purification and prayer. It begins long before the holiday, while the dates of the fast and its duration are also different for Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

In the Orthodox tradition, Lent lasts 48 days. In 2026, it will begin on February 23 and end on April 11, on the eve of Easter. Catholics in 2026 will begin fasting on February 18, and their fast will last 45 days.